Machine for operating upon leather.



L. E. TOPHAM.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON LEATHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2.I9151. I

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

2 SHEETS--SHEET. l.

- 5; f i- I 1 m W w W m L..E. TOPHAM. MACHINE FOR'OPERATINQ UPON LEATHER.

APPLICATJON'FILED APR.2. 1915.

Patented Apr. 22,1919.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FFTQEQ LAURENCE E. TOPI-IAM, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON LEATHER.

Application filed April 2, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE E. TorHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Operating upon Leather; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for op.- erating upon leather and, more particularly, to edge gage mechanisms for guiding the edge of the work to determine the position of the point or line of operation of the operating mechanism relative to the edge of the work. 1

1 an im roved ed 'e a 'e mechanism constructed to enable the edge gage to be accurately located and securely held in either of two predetermined positions in which the edge gage may be quickly and easily moved from one of such positions to the other.

- Withthese objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and improved construe tions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particu- 1 larly pointed out in the claims, the advan tages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

' In the present embodiment of the invention, the edge gage mechanism is illustrated as applied to a leather or wax thread sewing machine and is constructed and arranged particularly for use in the operation of sew ing afalse welt to-the outsole of a McKay shoe before the outsole is attached to the upper and insole. This mechanism, however, may be applied with advantage to various machines for operating upon leather and may be employed in a number of different operations performed on such machines. The invention will be readily understood Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

Serial No. 18,688.

from ,an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description thereof in which is illustrated and described a machine embodying the invention in its preferred form. In the drawings, Figure l is a view in front elevation of a leather sewing machine with the invention applied thereto; Fig. '2 is a detail plan view illustrating particularly the edge gage mechanism shown in Fig. 1 with the parts thereof in the positions which they assume when the edge gage is in one position; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the parts in the positions which they assume when the edge gage is in another position; Fig. 4 is a detail under side plan view illustrating the edge gage mechanism detached from the machine and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

The sewing machine to which the present invention is applied, as illustrated in. the drawing, is a straight hook needle wax thread lock-stitch machine for sewing leather articles and has substantially the same construction, arrangement. and mode of operation of parts as the machine illus trated in applicants Patent No. 1,170,022 dated February 1st, 1916. This machine comprises a straight hook needle and devices cooperating therewith to form a lockstitch seam, an awl 2, a looper 4, a thread finger 6 and a presser foot 8. The work is supported during the sewing operation by a work supporting plate 10* fixed to the upper end of the post 12 and provided with a slot 14 through which the needle and awl operate.

In the manufacture of certain classes of McKay shoes, a false welt is sewed around the marginal portions of the sole upon the upper side thereof before the sole is attached to the upper and insole so that the shoe when finished willmresemble a Goodyear or welted shoe. In order that the line of stitching by which the false welt is attached to the outsole may appear similar to the stitching by which the outsole of a Goodyear or welted shoe is attached to the welt, in the manufacture of McKay shoes of this class the portion of the seam about the forepart of the sole is located relatively close to the margin of the sole while the portions of the seam along the shank on both sides of the sole are placed somewhat farther from the margin. The machine illustrated in the drawing is provided with an edge gage mechanism designed for use particularly in sewing false welts to the soles of McKay shoes of this class, which mechanism is constructed to determine the positions of the sole edge to locate the portions of the seam at the desired distances from the edge of the sole about the forepart of the sole and along the shank.

In the construction shown the edge gage consists of a roll 16 secured by means of a screw 18 to the forward end of a slide 20 mounted for forward and rearward movement upon the upper surface of the plate 22 which constitutes an offset portion of the work supporting plate 10. The slide 20 is held in position upon the plate 22 by means of a screw 24 engaging in a slot 26 in the plate and threaded into the slide.

The edge gage mechanism is constructed and arranged to enable the edge gage to be accurately located and securely held in either of two principal operating positions. hen in use in sewing a false welt to the sole of a McKay shoe, the edge gage is located in a predetermined retracted position as the seam is started along the shank of the sole. With the gage in retracted position, the contact of the sole edge ,with the gage will locate the scam in a position relatively remote from the margin of the sole. hen the forepart of the sole is reached the edge gage is moved forwardly to a predetermined advanced position so that the seam will be formed relatively close to the margin of the sole about the forepart. hen the shank of the sole upon the opposite side thereof is reached by the sewing mechanism the edge gage is moved rearward to its predetermined retracted position to locate the seam relatively remote from the margin. In the construction shown in the drawing the mechanism for moving the gage comprises a lever 27 pivoted at 28 to the plate 22 and connected with the slide 20 by means of the bolt 80 secured by means of the nut 32 in the lever 27, the head 34 of the bolt extending through an, opening 36 in the plate 22 and engaging a suitable opening in the slide 20. At the outer end of the lever 27 is pivoted upon a screw 38, a lever 40 which serves as a locking lever for the slide 20 to lock the same in forward position andalso as an operating lever for moving the slide. The lever 40 is formed at its forward end'with a locking tooth or projection 42 arranged to engage a locking notch 44 in the plate 22 to lock the slide 20 in advanced position. The parts of the edge gage mechanism are constructed and arranged so that when the tooth engages the notch the edge gage is located in an advanced position suitable for the sewmg of the seam along. the forepart of the sole. To actuate the lever 4:0 to cause the locking projection 42 to engage in the locking notch in the plate 22 when the projection is in position to enter the notch, a tension spring 46 is secured at one end to a pin $8 fixed in the forward end of the lever 40 and at the other to the bolt 30. The lever 40 is provided with an operating handle 50 by which the lever is actuated to unlock the same and to move the gage. The plate 22 is formed with a curved face 52 to the rear of the locking notch slat, this face having the form of an arc of a circle struck from the center of the pivotal connectionv28 against which face the locking projection 42 rests when the gage is unlocked and retracted as shown in Fig. 3. The retracted position of the gage is determined by a stop bolt 5% mounted in the plate 22, the head of which projects above the plate in position to engage the rear end of the slide 20'to limit the rearward movement thereof. This bolt is arranged to stop the rearward movement of the slide with the edge gage in a' position suitable for the sewing of the seam along the shank of thesole. The .bolt is secured in position in the plate by means of a nut 56.

With an edge gage mechanism of thiscon st-ruction in sewing a false welt to the outsole of a McKay shoe the edge gage is located in a predetermined retracted position with. the rear end of the slide 20 engaging the head of the stop bolt 54:, as shown in Fig. 3, when the seam is started along the shank of the sole. When the stitch forming mechanism arrives at the forepart of the sole the operator seizes the operating handle 50' and moves the same forward. During the forward movement of the operating handle 50 the locking projection on the lever 40 slides along the arc shaped face 52 on the plate 22 until it arrives at the locking notch in the plate where its movement is limited by the forward face of said notch which is extended beyond the line of the curved face 52 and the projection 42 is engaged in the notch by the spring 46. The forward movement of the operating handle thereby brings the edge gage 16 to its predetermined advanced position, as shown in Fig. 2, for the sewing of the seam about the forepart of the sole and the edge gage 16 is securely locked against displacement during the sewing of this part of the seam. When the sewing mechanism arrives at the shank of the solo on the oppositeside thereof from that upon which the seam was started, the operator rearward movement of the operating handle 50 swings the lever 27 about its pivotal connection 28 in a direction to retract the slide 20, the locking projection 42 being held in contact withthe curved face 52 by the spring 46 during the retracting movement of the slide. The rearward movement of the slide is limited by its engagement with the head of the stop bolt 54. During the sewing ofthis part of the seam the slide 20 is held against the head of the stop bolt 54: by the pressure of the work against the gage roll 16.

In the manufacture of McKay shoes having a false welt attached to the sole, the dis tance of the line of stitches from the margin of the sole around the forepar-t of the sole and also the distance of the line of stitches from the margin of the sole along the shank is varied in different styles of such shoes and in the shoes made in different factories and the difference between these distances is not always the same. To enable the advanced position of the gage to be adjusted so that the seam around the forepart of the sole may be sewn at varying distances from the margin of the sole, an adjustableconnection is provided between the'slide 20 and the lever 27. In the construction shown the head 34 of the bolt 30 is formed eccentric to the body portion of the bolt which engages in the lever 27 and the connection between the slide 20 and the lever 27 is adjusted by angularly adjusting the bolt in the lever.

Provision is also made for adjusting the limiting retracted positiOn of the gage as determined by the stop bolt 54 to enable the seam to be sewn at varying distances from the margin of the sole along the shank. To this end the head of the bolt 54%, which forms a stop to limit the retracting movement of the slide 20, is formed eccentric to the body portion of the bolt which engages in the plate 22 and by angularly adjusting the bolt in the plate 22 the limit of the rearward movement. of the slide 20 is varied to adjust the retracted position of the edge gage 16.

It will be noted that with an edge gage mechanism of this construction the edge gage is securely locked in forward position so that it cannot bedisplaced by the pressure of the work against the gage and that the gage is unlocked and moved rearwardly to retracted position by a single continuous movement of the hand upon the operating handle 50. The provisions for adjustment of the predetermined forward and retracted positions of the gage enable the seam to be sewn at varying distances from the margin of the sole around the forepart and also along the shank and the adjustment of one predetermined position of the gage is, independent of the adjustment of the other predetermined position thereof, the distance between the forward and retracted positions of the gage being variable. It is obvious that, while in the illustrated construction the gage has two principal operating positions, it may be located by means of the handle 50 in an intermediate position and while in such position employed to gage the edge of the work relatively to the operating mechanism of the machine. \Vhile the edge gage mechanism illustrated and described is designed particularly for use in sewing false welts to the soles of McKay shoes, it is not limited in its utility to such an operation but it may be employed with advantage in other sewing operations and upon other classes of work.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention and having specifically described a machine embodying the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed is 1. A machine for operating on leather having, in combination, mechanism for operating upon the work, a fixed support, edge gage mechanism mounted thereon comprising an edge gage, and mechanism for locking the gage and for moving the same including an operating and locking lever having an operating handle and constructed and arranged to be operated to unlock the gage and move the same from one operative position to another relative to the point of operation of the operating mechanism by a substantially continuous movement of the operating handle.

2. A machine for operating on leather having, in combination, mechanism for operating upon the work, a fixed support, edge gage mechanism mounted thereon comprising a movable edge gage, a plate having a locking notch, a lever pivoted to said p ate and connected with the gage, and an operat ing and locking lever pivoted to the first lever, having a projection for engagement within the locking notch and an operating handle and constructed and arranged to be operated to unlock the gage and to move the same from one operative position to another relative to the point of operation of the operating mechanism by a substantially continuous movement of the operating handle.

3. A machine for operating upon leather having, in combination, means for operating upon the work, a fixed support, edge gage mechanism mounted thereon comprising an edge gage, an edge gage slide, a plate upon which the slide is mounted having a locking notch and mechanism for moving and locking the gage including an operating and locking lever, havin a projection for engagement in the locking notch and an operating handle.

4. A machine for operating on leather,

having, in combination, means for operating on the work, an edge gage and mechanism for operating and locking the gage including an operating and locking lever, bodily movable in opposite directions to move the gage relatively to the point of operation and having an operating handle movable in substantially the same directions to lock and unlock the gage.

5. A machine for operating upon leather having, in combination, means for operating upon the work, an edge gage, an edge gage slide, a plate upon which the slide is mounted having a locking notch and an are shaped face leading to the notch, a lever pivoted substantially at the center of the arc shaped face, and an operating and locking lever pivoted to the first lever and having a projection for engaging in the locking notch to lock gage, adapted to slide along the arcshaped face of the plate when the operating and locking lever has been operated to disengage the projection from the notch and is moved bodily to move the gage.

6. A machine for operating on leather, having, in combination, mechanism for operating on the work, an edge gage, a movable edge gage carrier, a plate upon which the carrier is mounted, mechanism for operating and locking the gage including an operating and locking lever pivotally movable to lock and unlock the gage and bodily movable to move the gage and having a locking projection, a stop formed on said plate for engagement with the leverto limit the bodily movement thereof, and a locking notch formed in said plate to receive the projection when the lever reaches its limiting position.

7. A machine for operating on leather, having, in combination, mechanism for operating on the work, an edge gage, a movable edge gage carrier, mechanism for operating and locking the gage including an operating and locking lever pivotally movable to lock and unlock the gage and bodily movable to move the gage, and having a locking projection, and a plate upon which the edgegage carrier is mounted, having a locking notch to receive the projection, and a smooth contact face leading from the notch along which the locking projection on the lever is adapted to slide during the bodily movement of the lever.

8. A machine for operatingon leather, having, in combination, mechanism for operating on the work, a Work supporting plate, a plate located above and lying in a plane substantially parallel with the work supporting plate and extending rearwardly therefrom, an edge gage slide mounted upon the upper surface of the second plate, an edge gage depending from the forward end of the slide, and devices mounted upon the second plate and connected with the rear end of the slide for moving and locking the slide.

9. A machine for operating on leather, having, in combination, mechanism for operating on the work, a work supporting plate, a second plate located above and in a plane substantially parallel with the work and locking lever pivotally mounted on the first lever and arranged for pivotal movement to lock and unlock the gage and for bodily movement to move the gage, a locking projection formed on the second lever, a

locking notch formed in the second plate to receive the locking projection, and a smooth arc-shaped contact face formed on the second plate along which the locking projection is adapted to slide when the second lever has been operated to unlock the gage andis moved bodily to move the gage.

10. A machine for operating on leather, having, in combination, mechanism for operating on the work, an edge gage, and mechanism for operating and locking the gage including an operating and locking lever pivotally movable to lock and unlock the gage and bodily movable to move the gage, and having an operating handle, and constructed and arranged to be operated to unlock the gage and to move the same from one operative position to another relative to the point of operation of the operating mechanism by a substantially continuous movement of the operating handle in one direction, and to move the gage in the opposite direction, and to lock the same in its original position by a substantially continuous movement of the operating handle in the opposite direction.

7 LAURENCE E. TOPHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingtlie Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0. 

